Transcript Slide 1

What can you do with a PhD?
Sarah Allbeson
Career Development Centre
Career Development Centre
Where?
 3A1, Cottrell Building
Contact Details
 Monday to Friday 9-5, Thursday 10-5
 www.careers.stir.ac.uk
 01786 467070 and [email protected]
What can we offer?
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Career Guidance
• No appointment required for drop-in:
Monday to Thursday 11am-3pm
• Guidance appointments
CV and Application feedback
Mock interviews
Information Room
Workshops and employer presentations
For research students…
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SGRS Careers Seminar Programme:
• Exploring Career Opportunities with a PhD
• Myers Brigg Type Indicator
• Effective CVs & Applications
• Successful Interview Techniques
• Job Hunting Strategies for Research
Students
What Do PhDs Do?
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80% of UK-domiciled PhD grads entered the
workplace
Few were in stopgap jobs
3.6% unemployed six months after graduating
Half (50%) employed in education sector
(22% in teaching and 22% in postdoc research)
14% took up research careers outside academia
(Source: Your PhD…what next? AGCAS/Prospects using statistics from the
2005 UKGrad Programme research, What do PhDs do?)
What Do PhDs Do?
‘The report demonstrates
that a PhD can take graduates
beyond academia and research,
with PhD holders transferring
their high level skills into a
wide range of sectors’.
(Source: Your PhD…what next? AGCAS/Prospects using
statistics from the 2005 UKGrad Programme research, What
do PhDs do?)
SUBJECT RELATED CAREER
Engin/Science - Lab Manager
- Chartered Engineer
Humanities
- Publishing
- Archive Work
Business
- Consultancy
- Accountancy
ACADEMIC CAREER
Contract Research
Lecture Post 
Other Research
Professional Tutors
Teaching in FE or Schools
THE PhD QUALIFIED
POSTGRAD
Your Options
ANY DISCIPLINE CAREER
*NEW DIRECTION*
Any business area including:
Finance, Retail,
School Teaching
RESEARCH-RELATED
CAREER
Research & Development
Project Research
Research Consultancy
Spin out companies
Where researchers are employed
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Universities
Research Councils and institutes
Central/local government and NGOs
Social and market research
Public health laboratories
National Health Service
Business and industrial research
Business
Survey of 80 major graduate employers in 2001.
 Over 95% happy to receive applications from
postgraduates
 Over 90% did not specifically advertise for
postgraduates
Examples
 PhDs in Physics and Engineering recruited into
Management Consultancy
 PhD Educationalist working as a senior research policy
officer for a charity
 PhD Music who is a publications officer
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What Employers say…
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“…we look for…new ideas and the ability to think about problems in
novel ways – lateral thinkers. We’ve found that PhD graduates offer
all of these things. They are enthusiastic and rise to any challenge –
they just want to get stuck in and to solve problems or improve things
that could be better…’ Albion Colours
"We like PhDs in our business sector – they never take anything at
face value. That is a real bonus in a business compliance function.
Their philosophical training and critical judgement have direct
application in business services, whatever the topic of their research."
Head of Graduate Recruitment, 'Big 4’ Accountancy firm
(Source: What do PhD graduates offer the labour market? From What do PhDs
do? By UKGrad and available at www.grad.ac.uk/wdpd)
Considering your options
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Is a PhD right for you?
Evaluate your career aims and ideas
Research possible career options:
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Entry requirements
Employers
Training
Speak to a Career Development Adviser
Career Research
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Career Development Centre
University departments
Employers’ websites and job adverts
Professional bodies/associations
Professional journals & periodicals
Business and recruitment directories
www.prospects.ac.uk
Labour Market Information
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www.vitae.ac.uk – Researchers’ portal
www.grad.ac.uk – UK Grad
What Do PhDs Do? www.grad.ac.uk/wdpd
Scottish Enterprise Publications
www.futureskillsscotland.org.uk
Department for Innovation, Universities & Skills
(DIUS)
HESA First Destinations (DLHE)
Press and business reports
Career Development Centre
Where?
 3A1, Cottrell Building
Contact Details
 Monday to Friday 9-5, Thursday 10-5
 www.careers.stir.ac.uk
 01786 467070
 [email protected]
What can we offer?






Career Guidance
• No appointment required for drop-in: Monday to
Thursday 11am-3pm
• Guidance appointments
SGRS Careers Seminar Programme
CV and Application feedback
Mock interviews
Information Room
Workshops and employer presentations